


Story of Their Lives

by KaterinaSentByCyberLife (orphan_account)



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Also I have headcanon Lance/Steven might be added later idk, Canon Divergence, Everyone Is Gay, F/M, Fluff, Green is confused but has it for Red anyways soooo, He's cool alright, I just like Lance, Kantonese boys are back, Light Angst, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, My First Fanfic, Slow Burn, a lot of firsts for Green and Red too, expect for Daisy, slightly OOC
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-27
Updated: 2019-06-27
Packaged: 2020-05-20 16:39:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19380628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/KaterinaSentByCyberLife
Summary: Green had no idea that the day he won the Championship title will change his life forever.Or scratch that. He had. He had a very good idea that it will change. That today is a day he will make into a history of battling. That today is the day he was waiting for.Who would have guessed that mere hours after becoming a Champion and fullfilling his goal, Red will walk through the door and sweep the floor with him.He wouldn't guess in the world.





	Story of Their Lives

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! I am Kate Sub :D  
> This stuff has been sitting in my computer for a while, and right now, as I procrastinate, I thought, why not show it to you guys? Maybe you'll enjoy... or no, hehe :D Still worth a shot, if there's a single soul who will like this fic. Also please note that English is not my first language and I have no beta... so sorry for any mistakes. If you notice them, just let me know so I can correct them.  
> Enjoy, and stay strong, Pokemon Masters ;)

Green had no idea that the day he won the Championship title will change his life forever.  
Or scratch that. He had. He had a very good idea that it will change. That today is a day he will make into a history of battling. That today is the day he was waiting for.  
Who would have guessed that mere hours after becoming a Champion and fulfilling his goal, Red will walk through the door and sweep the floor with him.  
He wouldn´t guess in the world.  
He kneeled by his poor Arcanine and healed his wounds while Red was petting his Pikachu and grinning like a madman. Hell, Red was grinning. Practically beaming with pride as he let out his whole team and informed them that they had won, they had done it and was immediately avalanched by his whole team, barking, chirping and cheering, licking his face and hands and tossing down his ever-present cap from his dark, untamed locks.  
Green sighed and hugged his Arcanine around neck, being defeated and depressed and stripped of his previous achievements. The Pokemon whined and licked his face in an attempt to cheer him up, while Red´s Charizard groaned victoriously yet again and let out a flame which burned half of the banners with the League logo printed on them.  
"Now, now," Red patted the Charizards hip to calm the Pokemon down.  
Then, the new Champion looked down at the Green, his crimson eyes burning with flames which calmed a bit as we went over to his rival and offered him a hand to help him stand up, him cap still down and forgotten in a mess of his Pokemon still somehow cheering together.  
Green looked up, stared at the offered hand and then into Red´s eyes, and then at the hand offered to him again.  
No.  
Green could feel hot white anger growing in his chest, burning through it until it consumed his whole body, engulfed it in raging flames of emotion.  
Anger. Agony. Despair. Pain. Admiration. Regret. Anger.  
Anger.  
Green gritted his teeth and pushed away Red´s helpful hand.  
He is as good as him. He doesn't need his sorry, neither his sympathy.  
Red´s eyes went wide and his soft, affectionate expression- at least Red´s very basic form of it- roughen up, brows furrowed.  
Green stood up by himself, his fellow Arcanine by his side.  
"So you have done it. You are a Champion. Congrats," Green said bitterly.  
It has been just a few hours. He barely got recorded into a Hall of Fame. The news barely reached Viridian as of now and probably didn´t even reached the Pallet.  
And he already lost the title.  
To the goddamn Red, who was always just eating up the dust following him.  
"Green, I-" Red started, meekly, his voice even quieter than usual. But he never got to say what he wanted to since the door flung open and his grandfather came right in.  
Both boys looked at the professor who was baffled by the sight.  
"Green," he finally managed to get out. "What is this supposed to mean? You are already defeated?"  
Yes. Just what Green needed. He gritted his teeth yet again and looked away from his grandfather in defeat.  
Couldn´t he arrive just an hour earlier? To see his grandson sitting on the throne?  
No. That was just too good to ever happen to him. Here he stood, defeated in front of the very eyes he wanted to impress. In his lowest.  
The next hour or so flew by as a bad dream. His Grandpa scolding him while congratulating Red and rushing him into a Hall of fame. Red barely managed to snatch his cap from where it was left on the ground.  
The two of them sitting with Lance and rest of the Elite Four as they discussed whether to do a double coronation or just do one and pretend it took Red a week longer to beat Green and making two solo celebrations for them.  
Or whether do just one of the coronation parades. The one for Red.  
When asked, Green just shrugged, bitter answer rolling down his tongue.  
"I don´t care. I got my ass beaten up anyway, didn´t I? We may as well pretend that me being the Champion never happened."  
He received some odd looks, especially for Red.  
Apparently, it was not an option not to be crowned. The double coronation was going to be held, with Green giving up his title and his Champion cape to Red publically.  
Then, they were sent off. Green stormed out of the room, out of the hall, away from the Indigo Plateau on the back of his Pidgeot before Red or anyone else could say a word to him.  
He landed in Pallet and right into the house, just to be greeted by his sister and a bunch of their close Pallets, awaiting him with cake and sparkling wine and got some confetti thrown into his face.  
He grunted and rushed through the living room right to the stairs and up to his room. He could hear his sister calling after him, but he couldn´t care less.  
Apparently, the news of Red beating him did not reach the Pallet yet. Well, they can just rewrite the name Green writing in curly fond by icing on the cake to Red and held a celebration for him.  
He threw himself on the bed and for the first time since he was five, he started sobbing into his pillow.  
When he got down in the kitchen the next morning, after crying through the night and cursing his life and Red in the name of whichever legendary he could remember, he was greeted by his sister quietly. She was spotting a sorrowful expression.  
"I heard what happened. If I knew, I would never... Sorry, Green," Daisy said quietly as she handed him a mug of coffee, which she probably made for herself just moments ago. Green sighted and accepted the mug, feeling like a piece of shit for ruining her surprise.  
"You couldn't have known," Green answered. "As a matter of fact, I should be sorry."  
"Don´t be. I can understand."  
Green smiled at her and she reached out to hug him tight, while Green was desperately trying to prevent the mug from spilling over.  
"In my eyes, you still are a Champion, Green. You worked hard and you deserve it," she whispered into his ear.  
Green was, for now, glad he had a great sister like that.  
The news soon spread through whole Kanto. Green's and Red's fates filled the newspapers, the news, their names could be heard over and over in the radio and the world was talking about the story of the two rivals from Pallet, who stormed through the League and claimed the title shortly after another. Everyone who met Red, who battled him during his journey, who was helped by him, was talking about how big of a heart he has and how a great person he really is.  
They knew nothing about any of them. About Green or Red. Not a shit.  
Poor little Pallet got overrun by the vans of reporters who were interviewing anyone who passed by and tried desperately to get to him or Red. But as far as Green knew, Red barricaded himself in his house as well as Green did and neither of them came out for three days to give an interview on cams.  
On the fourth day, Daisy returned from the shop, angry.  
"Those men are like a bunch of hungry Rattatas fighting over bread," she snickered. "And they are keeping my customers away!"  
"Bear with it," Green shrugged. "They will find something new in a few days."  
"Green," his sister said, resting both of her hands on hips in a scolding manner. "I really think you should go out and talk to them. This is madness. They want you."  
They argued about it a bit and then Green agreed. He went up to take a shower, got dressed and combed his hair and after getting an approving nod from Daisy, he went out for the first time in nearly four days, just to be greeted by flashing cameras and microphones pushed into his face right after he stepped out of the front door.  
He raised one hand to protect his eyes. The journalists were talking one over another and burying him under a pile of inaudible questions.  
Green was feeling sick from it and he felt like screaming and running but his legs won´t move and his lips would not part to let out anything but a faint squeak.  
"Alright, everybody, calm down now!" a familiar voice yelled. Green looked up. It was Lance of the Elite Four, who just landed on the dusty road behind him. Green could feel his chin drop in awe as everyone went quiet and stared at the Dragon Master. "The Champion Green will talk to you, but one after another, alright?"  
Green had no idea whether to be grateful or not. Lance stayed by his side the whole time while he was answering the questions and smiling uncertainly for the cameras.  
"Thanks," he managed to get out after it was over and Daisy invited Lance inside for some tea. The Dragon Master was now sitting in their living room, looking out of place on the familiar couch with his spiky pink updo and a cape.  
"Don´t mention it. I remember how it used to be when I was younger. You will soon learn to deal with them."  
Green was not so sure about it, but he nodded anyway.  
"So why are you here?" Green asked. "Unless you count saving my ass from those journalists."  
"I was meaning to ask you something, Green. What are your plans after the coronation? Will you try and conquer another League? Will you become a scholar like Professor is?"  
Green did not think that far.  
What should he do? There was no way for both him and Red to reign over the Plateau and hell, maybe he did not even want to. Did he ever want to?  
"I have no idea," he sighed, being truthful to himself.  
Lance nodded and something gleamed in his eyes.  
"I thought that may be the case," he nodded. "Well, I may have something for you. An offer just right for someone like you."  
"You do?" Green lifted an eyebrow sceptically. "And what may that be? Being Red's aide?"  
"No, nothing like that," Lance answered, gracefully ignoring Green´s bitter words. "Something worthy of your time and skills."  
"I am way too young for Elite Four."  
Lance smirked.  
"I see you are aiming high, but no, not that either. Maybe one day. For now, what about becoming a Gym Leader in Viridian? Your friend may have disbanded Rockets and get them out of our hair, but he, unfortunately, made Kanto short of one very capable Leader."  
Green´s jaw dropped for the second time on that day.  
Gym Leader. Gym Leader Green.  
Green liked the sound of it. And having one place, an area for himself, money to keep himself independent and a respectable position and challenges.  
That decision was fairly easy. A place of his own. No Red or whoever can take the honour of being a Gym Leader away from him.  
"Then brace yourself, Dragon Boss, cause you have just the right guy to take over your Gym," Green answered.  
It would be a lie to say that Lance´s offer didn´t make him happy.  
"I think the same," Lance nodded politely. "Now would my new Gym Leader be that kind and show me the house Red lives in? I have matters to solve with him, too."  
"I see. It is the one on the end of the street," Green answered rather bitterly.  
Of course, Lance would not waste his time in here just because of him. It was because of Red.  
It was always because of Red.  
Green really just wanted some recognition. Just a bit of it.  
"I will be needing you in there, too."  
"I don´t want to see him," Green snickered, frowning. "I have no business with him. Sharing a coronation day is enough."  
Lance sighed and so did Daisy.  
"Green, I can understand that the loss of the Championship was somewhat traumatizing, but-"  
"Oh, you do now? You, the Dragon Master Lance? Lance of the Elite Four?" Green snapped.  
"Green, how could you!" Daisy called out. "Mr Lance here is being kind to you, and you-"  
Lance, however, kept his cool and raised a hand to calm Daisy down. Green´s sister went quiet, however, she still glared daggers at Green, who flinched nervously.  
"Green," Lance started, and his sharp eyes pierced holes into his until Green could not stand it anymore and looked away, "Every good trainer has their up and downs and has to suffer through some losses, which, in the end, allow him to understand his mistakes and weaknesses. I once was a young, proud trainer myself. I thought I was the best. And I was far from the truth."  
Lance went quiet for while and Green was feeling like an idiot. Acting like a brat in front of Lance, who was cool and strong and great and offered him a job.  
"However, that is a story for some other day. But Green, as your elder, you should trust me. And go with me to see Red."  
After this scolding, it would put him into an even worst light to refuse. Green gritted his teeth again. Lance manipulated him cleverly into where he was now and there was nothing Green could to, expect to follow Lance into dawn which was falling upon Pallet and walk with him and his ridiculous cape to Red´s house.  
A bunch of reporters were camping in front of the house. Lance spared them an extremely ugly look and some cameras, which was pulled out to take photos of him and Green, were promptly hidden again.  
They walked together and Lance ringed the bell casually as if he belonged here.  
Red´s mom yelled from the other side of the door.  
"Leave us! He is not giving out any interviews or letting you take photos."  
"Excuse me, madame, but I ain´t no journalist. I am Lance of the Elite Four, and I have some matters to talk about with your son!" Lance yelled back.  
Steps could be heard in the corridor and the door opened just a little, so the woman could see the visitors, ready to smash them to the unwanted face.  
"Is that true?" she asked meekly.  
Lance nudged Green into ribs by an elbow rather unsmoothly and Green sighted, as he said:  
"Yes, it is. I am with him. Could you let us in, please?"  
"I-I guess, since you are with him, Green."  
The door was opened wide and right after they came in, Red´s mom smashed them shut, with a loud bang.  
"Sorry about that. They are like a pest. They didn't leave ever since Red returned," the woman sighed and then smiled at Green fondly.  
"How are you, dear? You grew up since last time I have seen you."  
"I´m fine, thank you," Green answered politely.  
Red appeared on the top of the staircase, staring down at the visitors with his hat lowered into his face, which could not be seen in the shadow the brim was casting.  
But Green knew one thing for sure. Red was not happy. Whatever he was doing in his mother's house, it was not celebrating and resting. Red looked more tired an weary than Green has ever seen him as he glared at them from the stairs. Lance expression turned serious instead of kind.  
"Dear, you have some visitors," his mom said softly. "Why don´t you sit with them in the living room while I make you some tea?"  
Red started walking down the stairs slowly, unwillingly, like it was the last thing he wanted to do.  
Lance politely thanked the woman while she disappeared to the kitchen. Red walked around them like they even weren´t there and went to the living room. Lance gave the boy a concerned look before following him and gestured at Green to do so, too.  
Red plopped down the armchair unceremoniously. Lance and Green had to take the couch and it felt a bit weird, being squeezed together on it. Lance, however, did not seem bothered.  
There was an awkward silence. Green could hear something running down the stairs and mere seconds after, a Pikachu flew into the room and right into Red´s lap.  
Red hugged the mouse and let it sit into his lap and his restless fingers begun caressing the soft yellow fur.  
With his Pokemon around, Red seemed to relax a bit, but he was still tense and Green could tell that.  
Green was confused. Here was Red, like he had been broken, traumatised. Not like he just won it all and took the victory for himself, stole it away from Green´s reluctant hands. Not happy at all, not proud, unlike in the first moment he won.  
Heck, if Green had won the match, if he was still a Champion, undefeated, he would be giving interviews and autographs left and right and enjoying himself. He sent the last few days locked down mopping because of his loss and keeping himself from hearing all that stuff, from people asking him how does he feel about losing and falling from the top after barely settling in.  
He did not understand Red at all. And he did not like that.  
Red was staring down on Pikachu and apparently, he was waiting for Lance or him to start talking.  
"So how are you doing, Red?" Lance asked him. Green could see Red´s knuckles turn white, as the boy clenched his fists. But no answer came from under the hat. Not a single word. Like Red was not in the same room. Like he was on the different plane of existence entirely.  
"These journalists are bugging you? I could get rid of them, if you would like," Lance said, unmoved.  
One sharp nod. That was all Red gave out as an answer.  
Green felt uneasy.  
"Hey, Red," he said quietly and moved to kneel by Red's armchair despite Pikachu letting out warning sparks of electricity from his cheeks, and tried to look the other trainer in the eye, touching his knee gently, "Are you alright? You look terrible."  
Red´s jaw tightened even more and he moved away from Green´s touch, turning his face away from him.  
"Red..." Green said quietly. "What's the matter, Red? Can you tell me, buddy? Maybe I can help."  
"I am not your buddy," Red said in a weak, cracking voice. Pikachu was now at the defensive post, teeth showing up.  
Green could feel the blood in his veins running cold.  
Sure, they had been rivals. And Green was angry, really angry, and sad and all that other stuff when Red beat him. But still, most of the journey, he was just messing with Red, being funny and all the stuff he told him about smelling him. He may have tried to belittle him a bit- well, fine, a whole lot, but he never meant any of it. No, not really.  
And now, he was left sitting on the ground with Red refusing him, sitting at the legs of a broken Champion who offered him a helping hand when he was low and just like he refused Red´s hand at the Indigo Plateau, Red now refused his.  
And before he knew it, Green stormed out of the house, into a wake of the night and run, run away like his life mattered on it, run away from the ghost of his friend.  
He came home the next morning, with Daisy worried sick about him. Apparently, Lance stopped by to tell her what happened. He left him a note in his room, detailing the coronation, which was to take place in five days on the Indigo Plateau.  
However, Red never showed up at the ceremony and Green was left there alone.  
Red´s crying mother told them about his sudden disappearance without a word and Lance, instead of proceeding with the ceremony, asked everyone to look for Red all over the Kanto, everywhere, to turn over every rock and stone and find the lost Champion. All Green could do, however, was to sit numbly in his room.  
Red.  
Where did he go?  
Where is he now?  
Why didn't he tell?  
Was the pressure too much for him?  
All he was left with were countless questions and no answers. No answers at all.


End file.
